Safety contkol device foe



June 3, 1930. T. A. El DICKINSON 1,761,880

SAFETY CONTROL DEVICE FOR FURNACES Filed March 26, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 (101 new:

June 3, 1930. T. A. E. DICKINSON NACES 7 'SSheets-Sheet 2 U F9 2 R9 01 F 6 2 I Vh mm a LM 0 Rd Te H F Y T E F A S ull lllllllllllfl dtkomq s June 3, 1930. T. A. E DICKINSON 1,761,880

SAFETY CONTROL DEVICE FOR FURNACES Filed March 26, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Pzitented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT! OFFICE V V i i TnoMAs A. nroxmson, or POLAND, OHIO I SAFETY CONTROL DEVICE FOR FURNACES Application filed March 26, 1929. Serial No. 350,110.

This invention relates to safety control devices for furnaces or stoves, and more particularly comprises an automatic damper carried on the usual smoke pipe leading from the furnace or stove to the chimneyand operative upon overheating of the smoke pipe to automatically open, thereby checking the draft through the furnace and permitting the smoke pipe to cool down toa point where 0 danger of fire due to the overheating ofthe smoke pipe or furnace is entirely eliminated.

In carrying out this invention a fusible element is employedv and preferably maintained in intimate engagement with the smoke pipe so that the heat of the smoke pipe is rapidly conducted to the element, and suitable connections are provided between the fusible element and damper so that upon fusion of the fusible element due to overheating of the pipe, the damper automatically opens, permitting air to flow into the smoke pipe through the damper. to thereby check the draft through the furnace. j It is well known that innumerable fires andproperty damageresult from overheated smoke pipes, furnace fines and furnaces and the principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide positive means to insure against such occurrences and so to automatically and quickly check and re= duce the heatof smoke pipes, furnace fines and furnaces so that over-heating thereof is entirely eliminated. V 4 Another object ofthe present invention is to provide a device which can readily and quickly be applied, tosmoke pipes such as are used in connectionwith substantially all commercial types of furnaces in use today without radical modification or alteration of the existing smoke pipe structures so that the installation can be quickly effected at a minimum expense. 1

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of this classwhich is accurate and effective in operation and is of such a simple character that it may be readily installed without the necessity of employing skilled mechanics.

'A further object is to provide a device which, when once assembled, will not get out of order, and after the fusible element has been broken, may be quickly restored to operative condition by placing a new fuse in position without the necessity of disconnecting any of its operating parts.

Further objects and advantages will be readily apparent as the description of the invention proceeds and while several forms of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings as indicating various forms, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise embodiments as shown, but that suitable alterations and changes in the details of construction may be resorted to so long as they do not depart from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. v

Indescribing the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of my inventionapplied. to a. vertically extending smoke pipe.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical central sectional view taken along the line AA of Fig. 1. v

.Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional central View taken along the line BB of Fig. 2. v

n Fig; 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the lower portion of my invention.

- Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a portion of my device as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front view of a modified form of my invention showing the same applied to a horizontally extending smoke pipe. 1 I

Fig. 7 is a vertical central sectional View taken along the line CC of Fig. 6.

Fig. Sis a fragmentary side elevation of my invention as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragme-ntary front view of the device illustrated in Fig. 6 with the sliding damper removed so as to clearly indicate the structure of the collar surrounding the smoke pipe as well as the openings in the smoke pipe itself.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a further modification of my invention.

view indicatin the manner of securing the fusible elementto theismoke pipe Fi a'le is a. detail Seaman we thee-at 1 ing the manner of mounting the pulley. as

shown in Figs. 3 and 4. V y I Referring more particularly' to the draw ings, in which the reference characters indicat-e similar parts throughout the views, I have indicated a smoke pipe 1 which receives exhaust gases from the furnace at one end and passes the same to a chimney through the other'end, and which is provided with one or moreopenings 2 and 3 cut through the wall thereof,- the openings illustrated being shown as of rectangular formation. Surrounding the smoke pipe 1 is a collar 4' which may be formed of sheet metal or other suitable -ma-' terial and comprises substantially a split sleeve provided at the meeting edges thereof with upstanding flanges 6 and 7 having bolt holesltherein adapte to receive bolts 9by meansrof which the meeting edges of the col 'lar 4 are'drawn together so as to securely clamp the same around the smoke pipe 1. The bolts 9 receive nuts 10 on the ends thereof sothat by manipulation of the nuts, the collar can be removed and replaced with great facility.

In describing the smoke pipe 1, I. haveindicat'ed that the same is'provided with a plurality of openings, but it is to be understood, of course, that I may, if desirable, form merely a single opening and thatthe configuration of the opening thus formed is immaterial so long as it is of suflioient area to permit air to flow into" the smoke pipe and thereby check the draft through the furnace.

- The collar 4-wliich has been securedto the smoke pipe 1 islikewise provided with a seri-es of openings 11 and 12 which conform to the configuration of theopenings 2 and "3 in the smoke pipe and which are adapted to alio-n with the openings 2 and 3 when the collar 4 has been-clamped in position so that the openings in the smoke pipe 1 andthe openings in the collar 4 register with each other.

The collar 4 is'provided at its marginal edges immediately above and below the opendamper may be employed without affecting the principle or mode ofoperation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a p very simple, compact and efiicient manner of securing the sliding damper to the smoke pipe of a furnace is provided and that its simplicity makes it possible to assemble the same on smoke pipes as commercially used today without the employment of; any skilled me In the collar 4 to one side of the openings 11 and 12,1 provide an'additional opening 20 which is clearly indicated in Figs. '1 and 3 and which extendscircumferentially of the collar 4, thereby exposin that portion of 'the smokev pipe 1 lying within the limits of'the opening 20. J H

The sliding damper 19 hasse'cu're'd thereto a fuse -holder21 comprising. a rivet provided with an enlarged conical head 22 tapering'outwardly from the sliding damper and the 001- l-ar 4 is provided with a similar fuse holder 23 adjacent the edgeiof theelongated openmg; 20. r l Y 1 The comprises a band or the like structure having at its opposite ends openings 25 which are of fuse holders so that the-fusible element'may be readily connected to and disconnected from the fuse holders and the replacement fusiblecelement is'indicated at 24and i i t larger diameter than the conical heads of the with the'conical outwardly'flaring heads 22, it'will be understood that when in position 1 there is no possibility of the fuse elements becoming detached from the holder'ssince" the tension on the fusible-element tends to force the. sametoward the collar 4, thereby insuring proper positioning of the fusible element at all times, andalso causes atlea'st a portion of the latter to Contact with the smoke pipe as will be ap arentfrohi an insp'ection "ofFig. ,3 from which it will be seen that when the-fusible element 24 has been-secured 1 to the fuse holder's 21 and 23 ,-it -wi11lie in contact with the smoke-pipe lso that the heat ther'efroinwill be readily conducted to the element.

The fusibleeleinent 24 assumes the posinon shown in Fig. 8,thatis, in contact with. I tl'ie-smokep1pe 1-, because of the tensionplaced on the'fusihle element hy'means of a weight exerting a pull on the front end of the slid: ingdaniper 19 so that when the device has been fully assembled the. fusible element 24 is maintained in intimate contact wit-lithe heated smoke pipe 1. The sliding damper 19 comprisesfin reality a dopr'str'ucture of the same urvature as the smoke pipe 1 and collar 4 and has-at its front edge an upstanding flange 26 through which is' assed an eyelet or other suitable fastening means 27 to which is secured one 'end'of' a "'h'ain or o'tl'i'e'r flexible "element 28;as clearly indicated in Figs. 1, '3 ands.

a downward pull on the flexible element28 which is translated to a horizontalmovement thereby sliding the damper 19 toopen position and permitting air toflow into the smoke pipe and thence to the chimney, thereby effectively checking the draft through the furnace. I have described the sliding damper 19 as being provided'with aflange 26 having the eyelet 27 therein and have also particularly described one manner of mountingthe pulley 29, but it is believed that it will be readily understood that theseconstructions may be changed to suit varying conditions as the varying uses may demand. o Referring now to Figs.- 6 to 9 inclusive, I have'therein illustrated a modified form of the invention adaptedfor' application to a horizontally extending smoke pipe 1 as distinguished from the vertical smoke pipe shown in Fig. 1.- In other respects the form of theinvention disclosed in the said figures .is similar to that disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4.

In-view of the fact that-theform of the invention as shown in Figs. 6 to 9 is applied to a horizontally extending smoke pipe 1, it is unnecessary to employ the pulley 29. and theflexible element 28 is, therefore, secured to the flange 26 of the sliding damper19 so that theflexible element is suspended invertical position and has secured to the end'thereof the weight 32 so thatupon fusion of'the,

element 24 theweight32- exerts a direct pull on the damper 19 so asto open the same and permit'air toflow into the smoke pipe 1 and thence to the chimney to thereby. check the draft in the furnace; a normally slack chain 28 may be disposed between one of the bolts 9 and the weight 32 to support the latter and prevent it from falling to the floor when after the fusing of the fusible element, the flexible element 28 is no longer effective for this pur ose.

p From the description thus far given of the device, it will be clearly apparent that the weight 32 exerts a constant tension on the fusible element 24 through the sliding damper 19 and that it is due to this tension that the fusible element 24 contacts intimately with the'smoke pipe 1.

In Figs. to 13, I have indicated another modification of the present invention. In this instance, while I'employ the same principle of operation, I have illustrated the inventionas being applied to the ordinary check damper of a furnace construction such as to be found on many furnaces now on the market.

Inthis formof the invention the check damper is indicated at 33 and is provided with the usual operating element'34 by means of which the damper 33 can be controlled under ordinary operating conditions.

- Suitably secured to the damper 33 by means of rivets or similar fastenings 35 is an outwardly extending arm 36 to which is secured one end of a flexible element 37 here indicated as a chain'and the opposite end of the flexible element 37 is secured to a link 38 having atone end a hook 39 engageable in an aperture 40 in one end of the fusible element 4-1.

The opposite end of the link 38 is provided with an eyelet 42 by means of which the weight 43 is secured thereto.

The fusible element 41' is secured to the smoke. pipeby means of a fuse holder 44 which is provided with the conical head similar in construction to the conical head 22 of Fig. 5, but in this case, the fuse holder is secured to the smoke pipe by means of a nut 45 threaded on the shank 46 of the fuse holder. i a i I It is believed to be obvious that the form of the invention now being described, operates in substantially the same manner as the devices shown inQFigs. 1 and 6, that is, that tension exerted on the fusible element 41 by the weight 43 causes the fusible element to lie in intimate contact with the smoke pipe so that heat is conducted thereto rapidly and releasing the weight, and opening the vcheck damper to permit air to flow into the smoke pipe.

By. reference to Fig. 10, it will be seen that the flexible element 37 is normally maintained slack so as not to interfere with the ordinary operations of the check damper but that upon release of the weight, the slack is taken up and the check damper opened.

In all of the forms of the present invention, I have described the fusible element as comprising a band of material, but I desire it to be understood that any form of fusible element may be used that will fulfill the requirements as described herein and it is to be understood that the fusibleelement employed is of a soft pliable material so thatthe tension exerted by the weights will causethe fusible element to conform to the configuration of the smoke pipe to which it is applied.

I have also described the present invention as employing weights for the purpose of to include equivalent structures that will peropening the dampers, but it is my intention r 0 fuse holders Hand 23 tl irou-gh the enlarged openings in the ends of thefusible element and that the weight 82 automatically holds the fusible element against displacement. In the form shown inFig. 10, the fusibleelement is readily attached by passing the head A l throi'i ghthe opening in the end of the fusible element and hooking the link 38 with its weight 43 through the opening in the opposite end of the fusible element and that dueto the tension caused by the weights the fusible elements are held in such position as toprevent any possible dislodgment. I

From the foregoing, itwill be seen that my invention provides an exceedingly simple, compact and inexpensive construction which may beapp'lied Without materially changing known furnace constructions and that" due to its'simpl icity and relatively few parts, it will be accurate and reliable in operation at all times. e

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States: e V 1 1. A device of the character described comprising a furnace smoke pipe having an open- 7 ing in one ofits Walls, a fusible element supported by the smoke pipe and in contact therewith, a damper carried by said smoke;

pipe andnormally closed to cover the said opening,and means operable upon breaking of the fusible element to open said damper.

2. A device of the character describedcomprising a furnace smoke pipe having an opening in one of its'walls, a fusible element supported by the smoke pipe, adamp'er car- V I 3; A devioeof the character described comprising a furnace smoke pipe having an openingin one of its walls, a fusible element supported by the smoke pipe and in contact therewith a'damper carried by said smoke v pipe and normally closed to cover thesaid opening, a Weight supported by said fusible element and a flexible member secured to said weight and cooperating with said damper to ing, afusible element carried by the smoke A pipe in Contact therewith, me-ans connecting the fusible element and damper, and a weight associated with said fusible element and operable to open the damper upon fusion of the fusible element. 7

5. A device of the character described comprising a, smoke pipe havmg an opening in.

thewall thereof, a slidingdamper controlling said opening, a fusible member secured to the s'mokepipe and damper and contact .ing'witl-i said smoke pipe,*and a weight attached to said'damper and operable upon fracture of-the' fusible element to operate in the smokepipe andsecured to said smoke pipe,-guideways on said collar, a damper slidable in said guideways for controlling the 1 openings, a. fusible element normally holds ing the damper in closed position, and means operable upon fracture of the fusible element to open said damper. g

7. A device of the character described co1n-. prising afurnace smoke plpe' havingan open- 1ng inthe wall thereof,a' collar secured-to said smokepipe and havingan opening registering with the opening in the smoke pipe,

a damperslidable aboutthe collar and normally disposed in apositionto cover said openings and. thermally controlled means? V operablewhen the smoke pipe attains a pre determined temperature to slidethe damper Openings.

8. A device of the characterdescribed com prisinga furnace smoke pipe having an opening in the wall thereof,.a sliding'damper normally closing; said opening, and means including. a weight and a fusible element supporting the weight-and operable upon'overheating of the smoke pipe to release the weight and slide the damper to open position.

to another position tothere'by uncoversaid "9. A device of the character described com-' 7 prising a furnace smoke pipe having an open;

ing inthe wall thereof,a collarencircling said g p smoke pipe and having an opening therein registering with the opening in the smoke pipe, guides on said collar, a damper slidable insaid guides to control the said openings, a fusible element secured to said collar 7 I i and damper normally holdingthe damper in closed position, a flexible elementsecured to said damper, and a weighton said flexible element operable upon fracture of the fusible element to slide the damper to open position.

10. Adevice of the character described comprising a furnace smoke pipe having'an opening therein, a collar surrounding said pipe and "having openings therein, one of which is adapted to register with the opening in the smoke pipe, a sliding damper on said 7 position.

collar, normally closing the registering openings, a fusible element secured to said collar and damper and lying in the other opening in the collar so as to contact- With the smoke pipe, and means operable upon fracture of the fusible element to slide the damper to open position.

11. A device of the character described comprising a furnace smoke pipe having an opening therein, a collar surrounding said pipe and having openings therein one of Which is adapted to register with the opening in the smoke pipe, a sliding damper on said collar normally closing the registering openings, fuse holders on said sliding damper and collar comprising studs having inwardly tapering heads, a fusible element provided with openings of greater diameter than the said heads secured to saidfuse holders at opposite ends and lying in the other opening inthe collar so as to contact With the smoke pipe, and means operable upon fracture of the fusible element to slide the damper to open 12. A device of the character described comprising a furnace smoke pipe having an opening therein, a damper normally closing said opening, a fusible element supported by said smoke pipe and having connection with said damper, and means cooperating with said fusible element for placing the same under tension and maintaining it in intimate contact With the smoke pipe, said means including a Weight connected to said damper and operable to open the same upon fracture of the fusible element.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of March, 1929.

' THOMAS A, E. DICKINSON, 

